Morton Feldman Says

Book excerpt: Alongside John Cage and Edgar Varese, Morton Feldman is regarded by many as one of the foremost American composers of the 20th century. Evidence of his lifelong passion for music can be found in the numerous interviews and lectures he gave about his life and work. But despite his reputation and creative output, very little has been published on this charismatic figure. In Morton Feldman Says, editor Chris Villars has collected two decades of interviews, many available here for the first time, illustrating Feldman's creative process and his wide range of cultural interests and references, especially to visual art. Morton Feldman Says contains the first English translation of Sebastian Claren's biographical notes as well as conversations with Gavin Bryars, Kevin Volans and Walter Zimmermann. There are also transcriptions of two of Feldman's lectures, held in Toronto (1982) and Johannesburg (1983).